Car thefts in Netherlands down 21%
A decrease in car thefts in the Netherlands that started in 2020, continued in the first half of 2021. In the first six months of this year, 2,578 cars were reported stolen, 21 percent less than in the same period of 2020, the national information and expertise center on vehicle crime LIV reported.
A decrease in thefts was seen in almost all vehicle categories, but there were certain cars that saw a spike in thefts. The Lexus RX450H was at the greatest risk of theft.
The Nissan Qashqai showed the biggest increase in car thieves' interests. In the first half of last year, 15 of these cars were stolen. In the first half of this year, it was 56. Mostly due to the Qashqai's increasing popularity, the number of Nissans stolen increased by 227 percent compared to the year before. Mazda as a brand also increased in popularity, with 143 percent more Mazdas stolen in the first half of this year. This is mainly due to 68 stolen Mazda CX-5's.
SUVs also seem to be gaining popularity among car thieves internationally, with increases in SUV thefts marked in the brands Renault, Audi, Peugeot, and Opel.
Even though the number of car thefts is falling, Netherlands residents still need to remain alert, LIV manager Rudi Welling said. "It is plausible that Covid had an influence of car thefts, but on the other hand, the increase in theft at Mazda and Nissan proves that not all car thieves are deterred by it. In short, lets not count ourselves lucky and stay alert to the prevention and recovery of stolen vehicles. An approved alarm system is and remains the first recommendation."
Top five most-stolen brands in the Netherlands
- Volkswagen, 445 (-34% from 2020)
- Toyota, 229 (-20%)
- Renault, 203 (-30%)
- Peugeot, 176 (+8%)
- Audi, 162 (-30%)
Top 10 most stolen cars
- Volkswagen Polo, 170 stolen, 36% recovered
- Volkswagen Golf, 164 stolen, 41% recovered
- Fiat 500, 83 stolen, 16% recovered
- Mazda CX-5, 68 stolen, 29% recovered
- BMW 3 Series, 64 stolen, 31% recovered
- Renault Megane, 62 stolen, 23% recovered
- Nissan Qashqai, 56 stolen, 21% recovered
- Toyota RAV4, 52 stolen, 31% recovered
- Toyota C-HR, 51 stolen, 27% recovered
- Toyota Aygo, 46 stolen, 39% recovered
